Startups Making Life Abroad More Convenient

Few people are benefiting more from the boom in new communication technology than expats. Everything from Skype to WhatsApp has made staying in touch infinitely easier, be it singing Happy Birthday to your nephew, or tuning in for an important meeting at your home office — experiences that, in the past, expats had to miss.

Entrepreneurial global nomads have begun catering to a niche of tech-reliant expats, whose lives can be made simpler and more connected through websites and apps.Whether you’re looking for a place to buy Vegemite when you relocate to France, or you need a secure place to digitally store immigration documents, or want to move abroad but don’t have a job nailed down, we’ve rounded up some new companies you may not know about that make the expat life a little more convenient:

Jobbatical: Jobbatical is an Estonia-based startup, founded on the premise that there’s a rising desire to take a career break. Jobbatical provides an international “help-wanted” platform, filling a gap in the market for employers seeking short-term talent, or for professionals looking for short-term gigs. Representatives from the startup say in an email that “Jobbatical’s website lists jobs in over 30 countries, from coding in Hong Kong to marketing in Vienna — perfect opportunities for expats looking for their next tour, or for former expats who’ve settled down but are feeling wanderlust creeping back in.”

Jobbatical’s short-term structure is described as beneficial for both employers and job-seekers. “Employers tend to be more likely to take the chance of hiring from out of the country knowing that at the end of the one-year period, the two parties can either decide to initiate a longer term collaboration, or part ways with no hard feelings.” This new short-term job-seeking format gives expats a low-risk opportunity to explore. If a permanent relocation to a new country feels too daunting, a short-term posting allows users to get their feet wet in a different culture, without the commitment of a long-term contract.

Another benefit of the startup’s framework, as cited by representatives, is the opportunity for deeper cross-cultural understanding. “As all expats know, being a tourist won’t allow you to gain a deep understanding of a city — you need to live there to truly understand it. That’s what Jobbatical is offering: the chance to see the world by living and working (and getting paid) in the cities of your dreams.” Interested in new career opportunities abroad? Take a look at their job listings here.

Jobbatical

TripScout: Expats are, obviously, a well-traveled bunch. Having navigated public transport, grocery shopping, and the other minutiae of daily life in a foreign country, they’re not likely to head for a big-bus tour or a monument swarmed by selfie-taking tourists when exploring a new city. TripScout is designed for discerning travelers like these.

Founder Konrad Waliszewski said in an email: “Expats typically want to hear the unique stories about history, culture, and food that every city has to offer. That’s likely what led them to live an expat life in the first place. Using the TripScout app, they can do this at their own schedule and pace, and always learn about points of interest around them wherever they are. Rather than doing tons of research, or signing up for tours, they can have a source of local intelligence in their pocket and available to them all the time.”

While there’s abundant information for travelers around the world, much of it is difficult to navigate or poorly curated — making it hard for someone to decide which of a website’s countless recommended activities in a given city is worthwhile. TripScout brings the informative format of favorite guidebooks to your phone, allowing you access to local favorites, narrations by top tour guides, and detailed city maps — all without the need to dive in and out of Wi-Fi hotspots. TripScout has launched in beta, and plans to debut in full in coming months. You can check out the site here.

A sample city guide from TripScout tripscout.co

Zoomlee: Paperwork is one thing all expats have no shortage of. Every part of moving to a new country is accompanied by legal documents, insurance forms, and government permits; in many cases, being at a loss for just one form can delay every aspect of your relocation process. Enter Zoomlee, an app designed for expats that handles the mind-numbing organization of paperwork for you.

The app provides users with a secure cloud-based system, with a place for back-up storage of marriage certificates, work permits, tax IDs, college degrees, and passports — all those essential slips of paper that so often get lost in the mix. Hear horror stories of friends getting held up at the airport because some piece of documentation wasn’t up to date? Zoomlee has a feature to track expiration dates, and will send automatic alerts when it’s time to renew important documents.

If you’re in the midst of application limbo, it can check on the status of work visas and green cards that are being processed. The app also aids with tax-filing headaches, by letting you know when you’ve reached the generally accepted taxation limit of 180 days as a resident in any given country. While its primary purpose is organizational, there’s also an element of well-being. The app’s “BeSafe” feature tracks your location and shows you the nearest hospitals, police stations, and embassy or consulate.

Zoomlee

Liana: Liana founder Kresimir Drvar got his idea for the app the way many of us come by inspiration: chocolate. Planning a trip to the U.S. to visit a fellow Croat living in New York, he purchased a type of Croatian chocolate his host sorely missed. But when he landed in New York, he realized he’d left the chocolate at home. With the help of some fellow Croats in upstate New York, Mr. Drvar managed to track down the candy his friend wanted.

In an email, Mr. Drvar said the experience made him realize that “expats have such a strong sense of community and are genuinely excited to meet their compatriots.” It’s a feeling many expats the world over share: Finding a compatriot brings you a little piece of home, whether it’s the thrill of hearing your accent on a stranger at a bar, or the catharsis that comes from reminiscing with someone homesick for the same sights and sounds as you.

Liana is a way to see other expats around you, where they’re from, what language they speak, and what they’re interested in. With just a quick glance at the app, I was able to find a Venezuelan, an Emirati, a Croat, and a fellow Aussie near me; and with around 30,000 users, you’re bound to find someone to chat with around any expat hub you find yourself in. You can filter by language. If, for instance, you’re looking for someone to practice your Spanish with, you can find all the Spanish-speakers near you at the click of a button. By clicking on someone’s profile, you can quickly start a chat with them, and bring new expats into your circle.

The map feature of Liana

Liana

DNLWD: Many expats channel their creativity — and reactions to new experiences — by blogging. The phenomenon helps them meet those with similar experiences, keep loved ones back home up to date — and, let’s be honest, vent. Some find commercial success through their blogs, using them to launch businesses or pull in advertising revenue. As the world goes increasingly mobile, one way many companies and websites stay relevant is by making their content accessible as an app.

If you’re an expat blogger trying to expand your reader base, but don’t know the difference between coding for iOS or Android, DNLWD can help you shift your content into an easy-to-navigate app. You can choose a free option, or pay more for optional features, and let your blog’s personality to show through with the choice of different themes.

The start-up won a Webby award in 2014, and has created apps for respected web presences like Thought Catalog, Nylon Magazine, and Song of Style. However, anyone can use it to take their digital impact to the next level.

Annie Hill is reporting for WSJ Expat this summer. A former expat, she will be a senior at Georgetown University in the fall. Follow her on Twitter @anniefhhill